Cahersiveen

On the Ring of Kerry with access to Valentia Island

Welcome toCahersiveen

Waterville is a small town on the Ring of Kerry. Small it may be but it has a lot of heart, offers a friendly welcome and has a rich and interesting history. It was here that an atlantic telegraph cable came ashore connecting Waterville with Canso in Nova Scotia, Canada. There were also cable stations on Valentia Island and Balllinskelligs. Although the cable stations are no longer used they have been designated as World Heritage Communications Sites. Valentia has a Heritage Centre with part of it devoted to the history of the cable stations. The town was a favourite haunt of Charlie Chaplin and his family. He is commemorated by a bronze statue on the sea front. In the last few years Waterville has hosted, very successfully, the Charlie Chaplin Comedy Film Festival.

There are 2 golf courses close by, Waterville and Ballinskelligs. Waterville golf club has been played by some of the worlds finest golfers and celebrities. Those included in this catagory are Michael Douglass and his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, Mark O'Meara(won the Masters and the British Open Championship in 1988), Nick Faldo, Jim Furyk(won the U.S. Open in 2003), Tiger Woods, Ernie Els(winner of the Open Championship in 2002) and Payne Stewart, the club captain for a short time before his unexpected death in October 1999. A statue now stands near the club house in his honour. The beach in front of the town is a mixture of sand and stones but just a short walk towards the golf club is a long magnificent sandy beach.

Accommodation in and around Cahersiveen is excellent and varied. There is no doubt that bed and breakfast properties offer the best value to those who prefer to be pampered. It is something you will always remember as the door opens and a friendly and welcoming face invites you in to be soon integrated into an Irish family and their home. The big plus is warm rooms with your own facilities, comfortable beds, a great breakfast with home baking, and the local knowledge your hosts can provide. They may even book excursions for you and arrange tee times at the local golf club. So before booking a hotel consider staying in an Irish B&B, a slightly cheaper option, but better value all round.

If you prefer to do your own thing then perhaps you should consider a self catering holiday home. They come in all shapes and sizes catering for all group sizes up to 12 persons. They are generally well equipped with all that is necessary for convenience and a trouble free holiday. Most are centrally heated and some have log fires with a supply of fuel, wonderful for that romantic weekend. During the high season rentals are usually by the week, but in the shoulder and off peak season holiday homes can be rented for shorter periods.